Tagged...

Here I go... - - Amy

JOBS THAT I’VE HAD
Zuka Juice, Papa Murphy’s, Souper Salad, Covergys Telemarketing, NWL Architects, Temp Agency, and the UofU Neurosurgery Clinic.
PLACES I’VE LIVED
Grand Central Station @ Arnett Circle, Liberty Square and Riviera, UofU Student Housing, Twinbrook Street and Spokane, WA
PLACES I’D RATHER BE
In the hospital having my baby, at home in Utah with our families, pool-side with a virgin strawberry pina colada, or inside a brand new 2007 Subaru Outback, leather interior.
FAVORITE MOVIES
Much Ado About Nothing, Private Eyes, Mel Gibson’s Hamlet, Disney’s Hercules/Aladdin/Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast.
FAVORITE TV SHOWS
Hanna Montana, Everybody Loves Raymond, American Idol, Amazing Race
UNHEALTHY FOODS I LOVE
Chinese (noodles, Beef and Broccoli, Sweet’N’Sour chicken), Lasagna with LOTS of noodles, Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream, Albertson’s Hot French Bread @ 4pm
WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY
msn.com, drudgereport.com, family/friend blogs, desnews.com
PEOPLE I TAG
Anyone in the family who has yet to post on this family blog :)

Tagged. Ok. I'll respond first.

JOBS THAT I’VE HAD--remember all those free turtles from Morrow's Nut house? I remember once Kathy grabbed about 3 lbs. of chocolate for me at school, then accidentally left it in the back window of her car. Chocolate soup. After it hardened, we both chewed on it for weeks.Oh, and the Daycare center. Neediest kids of the richest people I've ever seen. Was forced to watch Barney the dinosaur when that REALLY obnoxious girl was on (I've tried to block out her name.)

PLACES I’VE LIVED--Provo and Salt Lake. Ooh la la

PLACES I’D RATHER BE--getting a massage. In Spokane. :)

FAVORITE MOVIES--musicals and mysteries

FAVORITE TV SHOWS--survivor, amazing race, 24, law and order, but who really has time for television anyway?

UNHEALTHY FOODS I LOVE--all of them. Sucker for those Dunford Chocolate donuts and, well, anything chocolate.

WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY--Google? just family blogs, really

PEOPLE I TAG--Just John, but this isn't the place to discuss it.
--Kim

You're Tagged!

I've been tagged and I posted this info on my blog, so I'm passing on a little fun! -- Amy

PEOPLE I TAG:
TIFFANY, CARRIE, DAD, MARSHALL, CHRISTIAN and KIM... and how about everyone else in the fam wanting to do it! (This means that you have to fill out this questionnaire and post it on the family blog or your own blog!)

JOBS THAT I’VE HAD
PLACES I’VE LIVED
PLACES I’D RATHER BE
FAVORITE MOVIES
FAVORITE TV SHOWS
UNHEALTHY FOODS I LOVE
WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY
PEOPLE I TAG

Hope to hear from you soon!

Easy as pie

Hey everyone!

Last night for Enrichment we had a pie recipe sharing and tasting. I have not been a pie lover before, but I have to admit, (and maybe this had something to do with the fact that I skipped dinner) they were some of the best pies I've ever had. I confess I was a bit disappointed to see so many fruit pies, but after a quick sampling, knew that heaven would have pies like this. Marie Calendar, eat your heart out!

Honestly, when Paula walked in with her apple pie, it looked like she got it straight from a Martha Stewart catalogue. GORGEOUS. I called Paula this morning to ask her recipe for her apple pie, a flavor that I have NEVER really liked, because for the first time in my life, I knew I could win over the "Dad's favorite child" spot from Marshall (just kidding) if I worked on the sweeter side of his stomach, and not through buffets.

Her recipe was so darn simple, that you're all invited over on Sunday for a sampling...at Mom's house of course....and if you're lucky, I'll bring the fresh peach pie I got to try as well. UNBAKED PEACHES....tasted like I was eating them straight from the orchard. I can't wait to share. This is a new horizon for me...pie baking, that is, so I'll be going by the nickname "Betty" for a while. "Martha" will be fine as well. --Kim

Baby update!

I just wanted to give you an update on my baby girl! I went to the dr yesterday and it looks like things are going great... I'm 36 1/2 weeks, 3cm, and 80% effaced. I'm lucky to have a dr with the philosophy about inducing labor: "do you pick an apple off the tree when it's ripe or do you wait until it's fallen to the ground to rot!"

How thrilled am I about that?! He said that he is going to induce me in less than two weeks from now, if she doesn't try to come any sooner. We are still trying to work out a date - with Marshall's midterms and our dr leaving town... we'll keep you updated and let you know when it's gonna be.

We are doing great. We're just trying to get everything organized and settled for her arrival. We had to face (and kill) the black widow spiders we found on our garage door when we went to get the storage bins of baby girl clothes... Scary! Good thing Marshall had his 3-Iron, and that the dents are on the INSIDE of the garage door! It's been a little tricky trying to squeeze our two girls' things in their tiny bedroom, but I'm sure we'll be able to pull it together when the time comes.

We are cherishing every moment we have with Ava, because we fear (and know) that she won't be getting the same attention once her sister is here. Hopefully we'll have a smooth transition... I know Ava LOVES babies! We love you all and are anxious to hear more updates from the fam! Love you all, Amy

last night's fun

Just a couple of pictures from the Loveridge FHE last night.
Thanks for planning a fun evening, Jeff and Nat! -Tiffany

Little Orphan Annie

I came across this poem and remembered

all the times Mom used to say this to us...- Amy

LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE

BY

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Little Orphan Annie's come

to my house to stay.

To wash the cups and saucers up

and brush the crumbs away.

To shoo the chickens from the porch

and dust the hearth and sweep,

and make the fire and bake the bread

to earn her board and keep.

While all us other children,

when the supper things is done,

we sit around the kitchen fire

and has the mostest fun,

a listening to the witch tales

that Annie tells about

and the goblins will get ya

if ya don't watch out!

Once there was a little boy

who wouldn't say his prayers,

and when he went to bed at night

away up stairs,

his mammy heard him holler

and his daddy heard him bawl,

and when they turned the covers down,

he wasn't there at all!

They searched him in the attic room

and cubby hole and press

and even up the chimney flu

and every wheres, I guess,

but all they ever found of him

was just his pants and round-abouts

and the goblins will get ya

if ya don't watch out!!

Once there was a little girl

who always laughed and grinned

and made fun of everyone,

of all her blood and kin,

and once when there was company

and old folks was there,

she mocked them and she shocked them

and said, she didn't care.

And just as she turned on her heels

and to go and run and hide,

there was two great big black things

a standing by her side.

They snatched her through the ceiling

fore she knew what shes about,

and the goblins will get ya

if ya don't watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary,

and the moon is full

and creatures are a flying

and the wind goes Whoooooooooo,

you better mind your parents

and your teachers fond and dear,

and cherish them that loves ya,

and dry the orphans tears

and help the poor and needy ones

that cluster all about,

or the goblins will get ya

if ya don't watch out!!!

Our Trip to Boise in Aug

It was our first trip to Boise, Id since we had Holden. He was a dream on the car ride. He slept the entire way there and back- even in the middle of the day. What a blessing. I definitely think we'll have another kid! LOL Anyway! It was so much fun to visit Josh's Grandma (here from Panama) and his aunt. We only speak Spanish in the house with them, so Holden HAS to learn it or he is gonna feel left out! But it was great practice for me. We also went to this little dinner and show to this little ranch there. Don't we look absolutely BEAUTIFUL!? What a great lookin' family. It was this little mini town they had constructed on this ranch. We had dinner and then a show afterwards.
The whole trip was so fun, and as I told Josh- usually it's good to be back home after a trip, but this time I was actually soooo sad to leave. Josh's mom had so much fun with Holden, she was sad when we left. We can't wait to get back there again! PS....Do my thighs and hips look big?

Also, news here- Holden is crawling and eating solids! yeah! He's such a cutie....except for right now, he's crying cause he's hungry! Just teasin- he's always cute- but I'd better go shovel some food into his mouth! Laters!

Mom and Abby- Aug 2007

Just thought I'd add this. It's from August FHE- This pic is Mom with Abby and her pretty new coat! We had so much fun going to the Nickelcade with all of the kids! It was fun to have everyone over to our house.

I never said it would be easy...

OK...John and I have this little joke about that phrase that so many people have in their home...and before I offend anyone who has this posted, please note that for years it hung in Mom's kitchen because I had made one for her as well. It's that phrase that usually sits underneath a picture of the Savior that says, "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." Well, after a vigorous masters course at BYU, John started getting more concerned with people who mis-quote things and "put words in peoples' mouths." So, I took a marker to the one in my mom's kitchen and wrote "I never said...'I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.'" ..because, hey, he never really said that (at least with scriptural documentation!)

So, why am I bringing this up? Because I don't think that ANYTHING that is "worth it" comes very easy these days. I bring this up after washing 17 pairs of training underwear. Whose? No, not mine, although without mentioning specifics, pregnancy can be such a pain sometimes.... Actually, they were Matthew's. Mom clued me in years ago to the one-day potty training method where you spend the whole day in the bathroom with treats...

Matthew is strange. I knew this was going to be an uphill trek before we started, but I had no idea. My neighbor lent me "potty power," Matthew's favorite movie by his own admission, and we've been watching it for weeks....time after time (and if I get that silly song "whaddya like to do when you're sittin' on the potty" stuck in my mind for one more day in a row I'm gonna die!!!) So I thought he was ready.

After his first time sitting there, I used a little warm water poured down his back to encourage the process...and it worked. He was so excited, quickly wiped his bottom (though he didn't really need to, but did it with such precision I allowed him to continue) and washed his hands...all while singing the corresponding songs from the video. I then told him that he gets a "chocolate treat" every time he goes, and would he like one? "No thanks" was his reply. WHAT????? If I was offered a chocolate treat for climbing Mt. Everest and back, I'd certainly accept! So what do you do for incentive when your kid doesn't want treats?

Throughout the day, and after a few "mishaps" I was reminded that it takes a few tries before the underwear actually stays dry.... but by 8 p.m. I was discouraged. Not one success. Not one pair of dry underwear. Not one "I have to go" or anything like that. We put a pull-up on him just so I could see if those little stars would disappear off the front by morning...and they did....so we began again (this time with "cars" underwear that I had to create myself with a sharpie because Matthew was not happy with the flowered stuff...and I was suspicious that this was why he wet so much...so he could get new undies.)

Well, needless to say, by bedtime, and many loads of laundry later, we succumbed and put a diaper on. In the morning, I didn't even bother with the underwear. Certainly after TWO DAYS I should have seen a little progress....

Oh well. I never said it would be easy. I just hope that someday it's worth it.